Finding Keefe (Sokeefe)

Sophie could feel Magnate Leto shadowing her everywhere she went, but she made it her job as to completely pay no mind to his presence. It was how she was going to get through today and the next few days...or weeks...or months...or years. However long it took for her to feel better.

She mostly kept her head down, focusing only on her steps and the slow heaving in her chest. However, she left her head still tilted upwards just a fraction of an angle to take notice of Leto.

She wasn't sure if he noticed that she knew of his presence. But she wasn't ready to find out. So after every class, she fled to get to her next one.

It seems he must've told the teachers what he was up to, because they paid just about no mind to him in their classroom.

He most likely told them he was monitoring sessions, now that they were at an extra hour of length, to see how smoothly they were going. And he probably was doing that. But he was also focused on watching his little moonlark.

That was probably all the case, since at the end of almost every class she got something along the lines of,
"Miss Foster, I know your capable of more. I don't know what's upsetting you, but I encourage you to try harder in class. Put in more effort next time please."
By the teachers.

She just nodded, knowing that the 'try better next time' thing was not going to happen, at least not for a while. She was sufficiently half assing all of her classes, since one she wasn't that good at them to begin with and didn't feel like trying, and two she had lost all motivation to strive to be good when Keefe had left.

It's like he had left and took some of her with him, figuratively of course.

But...he might've left some of him with her.

Her new snarkiness was pretty badass, especially if she had more of it. She fell in love with it.

She also fell in love with the person who had first manifested it.

There was no point in denial now.

She loved Keefe.

Not liked, such as a silly crush, such as Fitz. But loved.

And her heart had always known it.

Her head was less compliant before, but it too had now realized what was right.

And it was willing to think the right way.

Some time later, closer to the end of the school day, Magnate Leto finally had the nerve to approach her.

"Miss Foster."
He stood in front of her, blocking her path forward and preventing her from moving forward.

She kept her gaze focused on the ground.

"Sophie. Look at me."
And when she still didn't look, he tried another time, using something he hadn't before. Her full name, alike to an angry parent, except there was no anger in his tone, only firmness.

"Sophie Elizabeth Foster."
She repressed a sigh and met his eyes, her face staying unreadably blank.

"I know you have noticed my presence. Stop trying to ignore it."
He told her.

She simply blinked, maintaining her empty facial expression. She stared straight into his eyes, as if they were lasers, showing no fear or remorse. He didn't back down. He held her gaze too.

Finally after sometime, she started to feel bored and ready to go away.

She attempted to push past him, but he held his arm out stopping her from moving.

A small glimmer of fury and frustration rose in her chest.

"What."
She spat, speaking for the first time in days.
Her hoarse voice proved that. She was surprised at herself for speaking, and Magnate Leto too looked taken aback, but he, unfortunately for Sophie, didn't falter in his blocking.

"Miss Foster. Stop ignoring me. Stop ignoring everyone. You are stronger than this, we both know that."

She basically blocked out everything he had said, as it was all nonsense.

"What do you want."
She repeated, keeping her voice firm and even.

He sighed.
"Must you be so stubborn?"

She ignored him.
"I'm going to be late. Move."

She didn't care that she sounded stubborn or disrespectful, or foolish even to some who didn't fully comprehend the situation. Not that they knew about Keefe leaving.

She waited for approximately 37 seconds (yes she counted.) And when he still didn't budge, she mustered an appropriate amount of force, as to push him away, but not to the ground (even though she could very well and definitely wanted to do that.) In one swift motion, she gathered her strength, buzzing energy from her shoulders, to her fingertips, and outwards. It was a white-hot energy. It made up for lost emotions.

Magnate Leto staggered and eventually stumbled backward, crashing into the wall, causing a very big disruption in the hallway for several other prodigies witnessing the moment.

It took him a bit to regain his footing and get his bearings, and in those few seconds, Sophie darted past him, not taking any notice to the gasps that erupted in the hall behind her and the interested and nosy prodigies looking to see what had happened.

She had satisfied her tiny glint of rage.

And again, as she walked away, she smirked.

~ Like promised, chapter 2 &3 were posted at the same time! Hope you all are enjoying this story! Don't forget to vote and comment if you are! Thanks and love you all! 💕~